Matter of Trust
by KidHeart4
Summary: The team is confronted by an old foe and a reunion. Things start to take a turn for Heart and her loved ones.


Matter of Trust

The days following the loss of mother and escaping Shadow I felt like a stranger. After over a year of living a new life with my teammates my uncovered memories had felt so strange to me. Though I felt as though some things were still tucked away in the shadows of my mind. Would other foes like Shadow emerge? Beneath my flesh I could feel my new wings stirring restlessly. The powers I now knew myself to have frightened me. What if I hurt someone, what if someone like Wraith tried to control me again?

I was lost i these thoughts so much that I didn't hear anyone approaching me. When a firm hand tapped my shoulder I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked up to see my brother and our leader, looking back at me concerned. He and the others had been practicing for the upcoming season, so he was in his hockey gear.

"I guess I zoned out there," I tried to laugh.

He wasn't convinced. He then quick changed into his street clothes and sat beside me.

"Duke said you've been distant the last few days," he approached carefully.

I wasn't sure how to answer at the moment. Proving the statement to be true.

"Don't hide little sister, tell us what you're thinking and feeling," he said.

"I feel like that's all I ever do," I stated with frustration surfacing, "At least lately."

"Heart your memories were lost for nearly two years. Uncovering them must have been overwhelming," he tried to tell me.

"That's just it though, I should feel complete now, but I don't! Those memories that were shown don't feel like they're mine! I believe they were mine, but they don't feel like mine. I look back in my head and what I remember is waking up on Puck World in your house," I told him uncertainly.

"Heart you suffered a head injury," Wildwing said grimmly, "Those memories may never feel connected to you the way your ones with us are."

"Before this all happened I knew who I was even without those memories!" I realized, "I'm not a dragon! These wings and these powers are a way to turn me into a weapon!"

Wildwing looked at me surprised.

"What if something else comes through the gateways? What if Shadow slips into our home? I just want to go back to the way things were before when things were clearer and she was still alive!" I yelled as I got to my feet.

"Sis it's not your fault," Wildwing tried to tell me.

"I don't want to keep going through this!"

"Heart-"

Yet I wasn't listening as I tried to walk away.

By now the others had skated over to the bench. Duke was removing his helmet as he stepped in now. He then quick changed into his street clothes as well. I had walked into him trying to leave. In response Duke wrapped his arms around me. His warm hands held me securely with one pulling me close and the other stroking my hair gently.

"I'm scared," I finally admitted, "I don't want anything else to change. I don't want to keep guessing who I am."

"Give it some time," Tanya tried to encourage.

"An' ya know some change is unavoidable Heart," Duke said as he looked at me now, "but what matters most will always stay the same."

"We're a team and this is our home," Mallory reminded me.

"With or without those wings, with or without magic," Wildwing assured.

"Even though both of those things are really cool," Nosedive commented as he patted my head.

"Who you are, who we are, has not change, nor will it," Grin said.

"No matter what it takes remember?" Wildwing reminded me.

I finally gave in and smiled a little.

Over the next day or so things stayed on the calmer side. I felt my nerves finally settling, but my wings hadn't. Though I had to ignore them for the time being. For Phil had roped us into a photo shoot for a new designer.

I had never understood fasion, I always wore what was comfortable. Mallory had tried to shop with me several times, but I usually wandered to the art supplies shop. Yet today I had been asked to be a part of the photo shoot, which was unusual. Not that the team ever put me to the side, but to the general public I seemed to only be a human.

"Wow girly-girl!" Nosedive exclaimed as I stepped out wearing a soft teal dancing dress with my hair done up.

On my neck was a black choker with a silver moon and heart crest in the center. The dress itself left my shoulders bare and was held up by ribbons tied behind my neck. So my upper back was bare as well.

Duke looked over at me, his brown eye wide. Then he smiled as he walked over to me and bowed, "Ravishin'."

I blushed, my face growing warm as he leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

The designer looked over Mallory, Tanya, and myself. They were both wearing similar dresses, but in shades of pink and lavendar respectfully. Then she turned to her partner and nodded.

"There will be a fourth posing with you ladies," she said, "I think you might know her."

We looked to each other puzzled as the designer waived her in. I looked to immediately fill with anger. She smiled pleasantly, but my core told me not to trust her as LuCretia stepped out and stood before us in her red dress. Anger I never thought I harbored rushed through me, "We assure you she is no friend of ours!"

"Look," she started right away, "I am trying to start a new life. I am not here to mess with yours."

I didn't believe her.

"If I were here to cause trouble would I have been so straight forward?" She asked.

"Possibly," I spat with my blood beginning to boil.

I hadn't realized that I was standing between her and my teammates. Nor did I notice the energy starting to spark around me.

Duke:

I watched as Heart faced LuCretia. I hadn't seen her like this before. Though I knew exactly why she was reacting like this. We all remembered our last encounter with her. A bit of shame crept up in me as I thought of how I had treated Heart last time.

I reached out and rested my hand on Heart's shoulder, "Sweetheart it's okay."

"No it isn't!" She insisted, "She almost got all of you killed last time! I'm not letting her come close to hurting any of you again!"

"Yeah, this isn't going to work," Wildwing told the designer.

"But I worked on these designs for months! This is my big break," the designer exclaimed.

"We're sorry but she's nothing but trouble," Mallory agreed.

LuCretia looked hurt as she faced all of us. Yet none of us were budging.

We started to turn to change and leave. Though I noticed as Heart paused as she looked at the designer. She seemed to be thinking about something for a moment as she sighed, "From one artist to another I understand, but this doesn't change anything with you," she looked at LuCretia, "one wrong move and I will make sure that move stops."

Wildwing and I looked to each other shocked. Not by Heart agreeing to help the artist out, but by her promise to our former adversary. Again I grasped her shoulders gently to try and reassure her, yet her rigid stance didn't faulter.

Before the photo shoot began I pulled Heart aside just her and I.

"Heart, don't let her get to ya. Ya know she won't drive us apart like last time. We're not fallin' for her tricks like before," I assured her softly as I looked into her sapphire eyes.

"I know that," she said half heartedly.

I then remembered the pain she had endured last time from all fronts, physical, emotional, and mental. I remembered her bandages, I remembered how she looked at me that day and how she distanced herself from me. I gripped her shoulders firmly as I tried to shake away those memories, "Heart trust me."

"It's not you that I don't trust," she said looking away.

It was clear it was bothering her.

"Heart, I would never hurt ya like that again. I love you," I reminded her.

"I love you too, and I know you wouldn't hurt me again Duke," she told me.

"Then what is it sweetheart?"

"I know she's up to something. I feel it, but I can't prove it this time. Not yet; but if I act now she wins," she said with frustration.

"Heart, we can walk away from her and this," I suggested.

Heart shook her head, "No, we said we would help that artist. I can put up with her long enough for that, but we need to figure out how she even got here in the first place."

I nodded, "I guess we'll figure it out after this shoot."

I then looked over her standing before me in the dress she was wearing. It was a rare sight to see her like that. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, falling over her neck and shoulders in a burgundy cascade.

I myself was dressed in a black dress shirt with a burgundy vest and dark dress pants. The collar of my shirt was left unbuttoned, which felt a little strange to me. As this style left a bit of my chest open, risking her being reminded of the scars I had.

"Ya look so lovely Heart," I told her as I slid my hand down her shoulder to her hand, holding it up as I kissed it.

At last I got her to smile and even blush a little again.

Heart:

Then the photo shoot started. To our surprise things seemed to go smoothly. We stood in our positions and changed as directed. LuCretia kept her distance from us. Though we were forced to do a couples shot where she was paired with a reluctant Nosedive for a moment.

About an hour later we were nearly done. It was down to a one on one shot. LuCretia and I were picked due to our contrasting dress and hair colors. We were asked to stand back to back as camera lights flashed around us. Then she turned to me stepped back a little, and offered a hand to shake. My instincts told me to turn away.

I should have listened.

As my hand grasped hers I heard her whisper something. The room went dark for a moment as though all the power had gone out. Then the lights flickered back on. The designer thanked us and we went to go change. For a moment nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until we went to leave.

"Let's go home," Wildwing said as he seemingly waved to me.

I hurried to catch up to my teammates. Yet then Nosedive looked to our brother puzzled as he then turned to me, "Sorry girly-girl, but we don't know you?"

I paused, thinking he was joking at first, "Dive that isn't funny."

"It wasn't a joke?" He said puzzled.

I looked to the others who all shared in his confusion.

"Guys?" I asked nervously.

Grin scratched his head as though trying to solve a mystery. Tanya and Mallory looked to each other trying to answer each other. Wildwing through the mask I could tell felt uncertain of what Nosedive had said. Finally I looked up at Duke to see him appearing to be waiting for someone, distracted. I hurried over to him, surprising everyone as I did, and reached for his arm. Yet as I nearly grasped his sleeve he pulled away to greet who he was waiting for. To my horror he was waiting for her. As LuCretia stepped out he walked over to her and bowed politely to her before offering his arm to escort her.

"Duke?" I asked in disbelief.

Our leader rested a hand on my shoulder, "Miss you seem to be in some sort of trouble? Do you need some help?"

"Miss?! Wing it's me! I'm your sister!" I tried to tell him.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a sister, it's been Dive and me most of our lives," he told me confused.

I spun on my heel to face LuCretia, "What did you do to them?!"

"I'm sorry?" She said innocently.

"What did you do?!" I snapped.

"I didn't do anything, I've been with them this whole time since we left Puck World. We agreed to do this photo shoot with a fan for charity today," she told me, "And you were the lucky winner."

My eyes widened in shock. I was just a fan to them? The last two years were somehow missing to them. No, not missing...changed! Somehow we were switched around. Yet how was my memory not changed like theirs? How did I still know them?

I looked to my teammates again, trying to stay calm as I spoke, "Guys, I don't know what's happened, but you have to remember! Wing, Dive, you both took me in on Puck World, you called me your sister! Grin I meditate with you almost every morning! Tanya I helped you build some of our gear, we were working on magic tech. the other day! Mallory you and I adventure through the mall once a week, you love looking for dresses and you try to get me to do the same, but I always end up looking at paint. Duke...look at your own hand..."

Yet it was gone. His hand no longer wore his wedding band. I looked to my own hand to find my own missing as well. However I still tried to reach him, approaching him and looking up at him, "Duke...you and I are in..."

"You have quite the fantasy is your head girly-girl," Nosedive scratched his head, breaking my attempt.

"It's not a fantasy!" I told them, "We've all known each other for nearly two years! We fought her together!"

Wildwing then glared at me, suddenly I felt small and even more lost as he said, "We wouldn't fight our teammate. I'm sorry you seem to be mixed up at the moment, but this has gone on far enough!"

"Wildwing-"

"Let's go team," he turned away with the others following behind him. Yet for a moment each of them looked at me confused, as though something weren't right, before walking away. Though Duke paused longer as though some part of him knew.

Duke:

"Duke...please..." she begged, "You know this isn't right. You have to remember us. You saved me back on Puck World, we've been through so much together, you and I are in love..."

"In love?" I asked her, but LuCretia lifted her hand to turn my gaze towards her.

"Duke, you and I share a twisted past that only the other understands. Don't let this strange human girl confuse you with her wild imagination," she assured me as she stood on her toes to kiss my cheek, "It's what connects us remember?"

I noticed the human girl's shocked expression as she heard this. For a moment I thought I saw tears brimming her sapphire eyes. Something within me knew those eyes, yet I didn't know why. Did I? Yet before I could ponder this any longer I was pulled away by LuCretia, following the others and leaving the human girl in the studio. She tried to follow us to the Migrator, but was quickly cut off by Mallory, "You're pushing your luck girl."

The young girl backed off, stepping back as she watched us leave. As we drove off Nosedive shook his head, "We need to talk to Phil about being more careful with fan prizes, this one was off her rocker."

"Perhaps she was just a bit star struck?" Tanya tried to say thoughtfully.

"She sounded like a stalker to me," Mallory warned.

"She seemed harmless," Grin stated knowingly, "I didn't get any bad vibes from her."

"Let's just forget about her," LuCretia suggested, "Don't you all have a game to practice for?"

We then headed back to the pond to do just that. Yet the whole time I felt something nagging at the back of my head.

"I felt like I knew her," I mentioned as I pulled my jersey on, "I know I've seen those eyes before."

"Probably in the crowd at a game or something," Nosedive pointed out.

"Do you think she'll be there tonight?" Tanya questioned nervously.

"Who knows, just play try and focus on the game itself," Wildwing said encouragingly.

Though it seemed this brief encounter had shaken all of us in some way.

Heart:

Fortunately the photo shoot had been in town, so it didn't take long for me to get back to the pond on my jetblades. I had quick changed into my secondary gear for the moment, they already had been weirded out that I knew them. I figured dressing like Duke would raise concern while their memories were changed. Once home I pondered what I should do. Walking through the front door didn't seem like a smart idea. LuCretia would get them to throw me out and they would possibly change the code afterwards. I couldn't even risk getting in contact with Phil. No, I needed to be clever and careful for this one. For I was on my own this time.

I waited for it to grow dark and the stands to start filling up inside for the game. In the commotion I slipped to the back entrance, input the code and slipped down to the sewer entrance below. Only once had I been down there with Wildwing when he'd shown me how to get out or in if an emergency had arisen. He'd warned me about the traps and security system, though they should have recognized my comm as their signal to stand down. This proved true still as I was able to sneak past the bots wthout raising suspicion. I sighed with relief as I made my way to our headquarters.

Everyone was upstairs prepairing for the game. Yet I decided that it would be wise to stay low as I slipped through my own home. I wasn't sure if LuCretia or maybe Phil were wandering around.

On the surface everything looked the same at the pond. Yet the real test was getting to Duke's and my room, or even my old vacant room. I hadn't noticed replacement rings on either him or LuCretia, so it was possible she was using my room. Once down the hall I listened carefully to find the inside to be silent and I opened the door to find I was right in my assumption. My room was changed around to match her bolder style. My art desk transformed to a vanity.

I decided to try and enter Duke's room now, finding the code he had given me to still be correct. His room was as it had been before we'd gotten married. Photos of our wedding were somehow transformed into photos of him and her instead. My blood grew hot seeing this, but I managed to keep my composure.

I then carefully walked over to the closet and looked inside to try and find a familiar package holding a specific outfit. At first I was afraid that it had been erased along with my other belongings. Yet finally deep in the lower corner I found it unopened, as though locked away. His own suit rested in a package beneath it. I quickly opened mine to find that somehow it remained unchanged. Relief escaped my lips as I smiled thankfully. Then I set it to my quick change device and activated it. Perhaps wearing this would remind him somehow. It had to.

Then I waited, hiding in the infirmary for whatever reason. I hoped no one would be in need of it. It felt so strange hiding in my own home from my own family. Yet I couldn't risk being seen.

Luck seemed to be on my side as no one came in. Though down the hall I could hear Nosedive. He had sounded frustrated, "I can't believe we lost tonight. We were on a streak!"

"We've had an off day," Wildwing assured him.

I wanted to be with them. It hurt not being around everyone. I missed cheering them on. It had been less than a day and I had already felt their absense.

"We'll just get more practice in for the next one," Tanya sighed as she paused just outside the infirmary door. I quickly ducked down and to the side, hoping she wouldn't enter the room.

"Tanya, are you alright?" Wildwing asked with concern.

"It just feels so strange, everything about today feels different. Yet I know everything is just as it's always been," Tanya said as she looked over the seemingly empty infirmary.

Did she remember helping me so many times in this room? I looked back to the early days when I was learning to fight and stand on my own. She gave me advice often during those moments.

"That girl got in your head," Nosedive said, "I think she got in all of our heads."

I held my breath as I listened to them. Tears were brimming in my eyes as I heard them refer to me in that way. Like a stranger. I hated it. I hated her.

I risked a slight glance from my hidden corner of the room, behind one of the infirmary beds. From where I was I could see them standing, looking a bit lost for a split moment. Wildwing rested a comforting hand on Tanya's shoulder. LuCretia was with them, holding onto Duke's arm again. I wanted to punch her.

Yet Duke didn't seem that invested in her, even as she smiled up at him. I continued to remain still and silent as I waited for them to walk by. Finally they continued down the hall. However Duke remained standing outside the infirmary. He looked into the room, almost right at where I was hiding. He started to step into the room, but LuCretia pulled on his arm, "What's the matter?"

He looked down at her, "I guess I'm jus' tired darlin'."

My hands balled into fists.

"It's that strange human girl isn't it?" She asked, "Please just forget about her. You and I are together, two ducks with a twisted past each that brought us together. An ex-thief and a former traitor, now both on the straight and narrow."

She reached up, standing on her toes, to kiss him. Yet he turned his head as he was then kissed on the cheek.

"Why don't ya head on ta bed, I'll be goin' ta get some rest soon too," he suggested tiredly.

"Don't you want to come with me?" She asked.

"I'll catch up to ya soon," he assured as he pulled away.

She watched him for a moment, then she finally strolled down the hall. Yet Duke remained just outside the door. Then he stepped inside. My heart started pounding in my ears as his steps grew closer. I didn't dare move as he looked over the room. I remained crouched down behind the third bed in the room.

"You're here aren't ya?" I heard him ask.

I didn't speak. I wasn't sure if I was ready for him to see me. Not with her right down the hall to blow the whistle on me and alert the others.

I held my breath still as I slipped around the bed as he tried to find my previous hiding spot. Then I hurried over to the door just before he turned around. Just barely I made it to the door and hurried down the hall. Yet by now he had to have heard me. Sure enough I heard him following me down the hall as I turned the corner. Instinctively I had headed in the direction of our rooms. Before he came around after me I slipped into his room, knowing I couldn't keep running from him. All I could do was stand there and wait for him. I took a deep breath as I heard his footsteps just outside the door. For a moment it seemed he might have continued to look for me through the halls.

My heart pounded against my chest. I wasn't sure if I wanted him to find me or not. I just wanted things back to normal. Here I was running away from him, hiding in my own home from him and our teammates.

"Duke..." I finally whispered softly, wondering if he might hear me.

The doors began to slide open and I stood my ground. I looked up to find him entering the unlit room. In just a moment our eyes met. I let out the breath I had taken slowly. I waited for him to call the others or tell me to leave. Yet it never happened.

"How did ya get in here?" He asked.

"Because I know the code to get into my own home," I told him clearly, "though it felt strange having to use the back door."

Duke:

I then realized what she was wearing. The familiar burgundy and black uniform that looked just like mine from my past. Yet how could she have known what that looked like? How could she have replicated it?

"Duke," she said again as she looked up at me, "I don't know what she's done to everyone, I don't know how either. But I do know all of you, especially you."

"Why are you wearin' that?"

"You and I faced your past and Falcone that night. The night we both wore these. LuCretia's spell or whatever she's done changed everything else, but wasn't able to warp this. You had this made for me after we got together," she explained to me calmly, though her frail form shook as she spoke, "No matter what anyone thought or said I stayed by your side. I trusted you."

I stepped back, stunned by her words. I thought back to that night just over a year ago. In my head I saw myself alone that night. Even LuCretia had stayed back with the others, unsure of what would happen. Perhaps afraid that Dragonus might find her after betraying him? Yet as I looked at the young woman standing before me I began to doubt these images in my mind. The bodysuit she wore fit her perfectly.

"It took you less than ten seconds to crack that safe," she continued looking at me with those sapphire eyes of hers, "you proved to everyone that you had made peace with your past, and that the skills you gained from it were important for you to still have. That you needed to keep them sharp?"

I held my head in my hands now. How could she know these things? How could she be wearing that? I hadn't even had one made for LuCretia, so there was no way for her to steal it for herself. It shouldn't have existed.

She then approached me slowly.

"I know that you remember me Duke. That you know us. You knew I was in the infirmary because you were seeking me out as you have since Puck World, when you saved my life. Your mind might not remember, but some part of you does," she told me.

I didn't step away as she stood right before me, looking up at me still. Her movements were familiar, her bodysuit enveloped her frame. Something in my chest stirred as I watched her.

"Duke it's me..."

"Heart..." I whispered as I looked at her and reached out to hold her.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she threw her arms around me, "Duke!"

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, I don't know what happened. I felt like I was lookin' for the answers when you were right there!" I told her as I held her tight, "I knew I wasn't really with her. Nothin' about it felt right."

I looked over her, seeing her dressed in that familiar burgundy and black. I brushed my hand gently against her cheek to catch her tears as they fell.

"Hey...hey, it's okay now Heart. You've got me back."

"But it's not okay!" She told me urgently, "The others still don't remember! We still don't know how she even got here! I have to hide from everyone until we figure out what to do!"

I tried to think of what to do, "We need to jog their memories somehow."

I then noticed how tired Heart was as she struggled to stand, adrenaline washing away.

"For now you're gettin' some rest," I told her as I lifted her into my arms and carried her over to my bed, "I'll take care of ya sweetheart."

I pulled her close to me as she reluctantly drifted off to sleep speaking to me, "I was only away from all of you for a few hours and I already felt like I missed too much."

"I know sweetheart, but we'll figure this out after we both get some rest. You'll exhaust yourself it ya keep goin' like this. You're still gettin' used to your magic and gettin' your past back. I've got ya now, an' we will fix this."

"Duke..."

"I've got ya Heart," I promised her.

That night as I slept on and off I kept waking up to make sure Heart was still in my arms. My dreams tormented my mind as I saw visions of her fading away as she had in my memories. I gripped her tightly when I woke up again, feeling her cling to me in return. I felt her tossing and turning as she dreamed. As I ran my hand along her back I could feel her wings stirring beneath her skin. I gently brushed her hair away from her face, kissing her head as she slept to try and let her know that she was safe, "Heart..."

Heart:

In my dreams I was trying to find everyone. One by one they were turning away. As each one did I felt myself slipping away. I looked to my hands to see the claws I once had growing from my fingers again. I felt myself changing again. I cried out to them, yet a roar escaped my throat instead as I reverted back to the dragon I had nearly become before.

I jumped up, gasping for breath. Duke looked up startled as he sat up and pulled me close to him, "Hey...hey I've got ya...it's okay..."

I shook my head, feeling my wings shift beneath my skin. My hands shook as I gripped the front of his shirt. I couldn't change back that easily could I? Duke and the others are what had anchored me, but now I knew who I was didn't I? I would stay me wouldn't I?

"Heart!" He said as he had me look up at him, "Heart it's okay sweetheart! Listen ta me!"

I finally heard him this time as I snapped back aware of my surroundings. I looked at Duke trying to calm my breathing. Then I pulled away, looking at my hands now to make sure that the claws hadn't returned. Duke watched me, seeming confused at first. Then he seemed to realize what was bothering me and rested his hands on my shoulders, "Heart look at me sweetheart. I won't let ya slip away again; but remember your magic is somethin' ta be proud of. Don't be afraid of it."

Duke:

I felt her shaking in my hands. Her eyes began to darken again. Energy began to spark around her. I gripped her slighty tighter as I called to her carefully so not to alert the intruder in the room beside ours, "Heart!"

Finally she looked up at me with the sapphire eyes I knew so well. I let out a breath as I pulled her back into my arms as she tried not to break down crying. I ran one of my hands gently over her back as she trembled.

"Shhh, it's okay sweetheart. It's okay. I've got ya, an' I'm not lettin' ya go," I assured her as she finally gave in and fell asleep again.

Morning soon came and I awoke as Heart slipped out of my arms. She and I could both hear someone stirring in the next room, even laughing a bit. We had to think of something fast, as LuCretia would soon come looking for me to join her.

Heart looked to me, a look of disgust washing over her as she said, "You need to make her think you're still with her. If she finds out you know she'll alert the others."

I thought for a moment, not being thrilled about this idea.

"We need ta get ya in naturally so you can be around everyone to help them regain their memories. You need to talk with them long enough as you did with me."

"But you said you knew something was off," she pointed out.

There was an expected knock on the door. I motioned for Heart to hide in the closet, and she quickly slipped inside it. I answered the door to find LuCretia waiting there.

"Good morning," she said, batting her eyes.

"Mornin' LuCretia," I answered pleasantly, "Why don't ya head on ta the galley an' I'll follow after in jus' a few minutes."

"Two lonely walks in a row?" She questioned, "Is something the matter dear?"

"Nah, jus' need ta get ready," I assured her.

This seemed to convince her as she started down the hallway. I closed the door and went to Heart, who was opening the closet door. I then gave her one of my jersies to wear over her suit for the time being.

"We need ta get ya around the others without her there," I said trying to figure out what to do.

"No, I need to get to her," she realized, "I need to figure out how she did this."

"How did she even get back here?" I wondered, "She was trapped in limbo wasn't she?"

"I don't know," Heart replied frustrated.

I noticed she was looking at her hands, as though making sure they were normal again. They then curled into fists as she looked to me, "I am done hiding in my own home! I'm not pretending I don't know them! Let her find me!"

I was a bit thrown back by her sudden resolve as energy sparked around her. I walked over to her, gripping her shoulders gently to try and keep her calm.

"Jus' don't lose yourself again, okay?" I said to her.

For a brief moment I wondered how Heart's memories had been spared the affects of whatever had happened, "Your magic must have been what protected your memory. Kinda funny when ya about it. All this time you've been searchin' for your past memories while your magic is keepin' your current ones safe."

"I hadn't really thought about it, I just want to get everyone back and kick her out," Heart said.

I smiled at her, "Perhaps it was that high resolve on it's own that kept ya from forgettin'."

Heart:

Soon we were heading down the hall. We found our teammates with LuCretia, and she was waiting for us.

"Keeping secrets from us Duke?" LuCretia asked in a fake injured tone.

"What's going on here?" Wildwing demanded sternly.

"It's that crazy girl from yesterday!" Nosedive exclaimed.

"How did you get in here?" Mallory demanded.

Duke stepped between us, "Guys it's Heart! She's our teammate remember?"

LuCretia glared at him, "How could you break my heart with these lies! You've been with her since yesterday haven't you?! She broke in and you didn't say anything!"

I quickly looked to Wildwing, "Wildwing! You showed me how to get in underground in case of emergency! If I were an intruder wouldn't the bots have recognized me as an intruder?"

Wildwing looked at me a bit confused. He looked to Nosedive as though something were becoming clearer to him by the moment.

"Please big brother, you gotta remember! You've always looked out for me and given me advice when I need it!"

LuCretia looked at our leader surprised as he turned back to me, a familiar expression showing through the mask.

"Don't listen to this human! She has no idea what she's talking about!" LuCretia insisted, she turned to Nosedive, "Don't you believe me?"

"Dive! Come on, don't fall for her again!" I hurried over to my twin, "Dive it's me! You adopted me without a second thought! You showed me the ropes back home!"

I watched as Nosedive rubbed his head, as though trying to rub something out of his mind.

"Hey girly-girl, what happened?" Nosedive asked, giving me a hug when he saw how worried I seemed to be.

"Why is this happening?" LuCretia demanded as it seemed the others were following their lead, "What are you doing?"

"We're sorry young friend," Grin told me patting my shoulder.

"But how?! All of you fell into my trap! We were swapped!" LuCretia yelled, "How could it wear off so quickly?!"

I looked at the energy sparking around me. Then I looked to Duke who nodded encouragingly. My wings stirred within my back again in response.

"It must be..." I realized as I looked to my teammates, turning my back to her by mistake, "Because I was there...my magic kept it from being permanent. It wore off of Duke after a few hours...it never affected me...and now..."

"No! This does not end this way girl!" LuCretia snapped, losing the composure in her voice.

"Heart! Look out!" Duke cried out as I turned to see her draw out her blaster and pull the trigger just as Duke tried to hurry over to knock it out of her hands.

A red lazer shot out nearly hitting me when our leader, my older brother, stepped forward to deflect the attack. I felt something within me snap as I called out to him, "Wildwing!"

Duke:

Just as the blaster was about to strike our leader a force of energy erupted from Heart, the magic around her crystalizing into some sort of shield. It wrapped around everyone including myself as I watched in awe.

"What the heck are you?" LuCretia demanded.

"I'm a part of this team, they are my family! I will not let you hurt them again!"

"No! I am not going back to limbo! I crawled through that tear and I will send you there in my place!" She growled at me.

"What are you talking about? What tear?" Wildwing questioned.

"I thought I would spend all eternity in that horrible place! But a few weeks ago something ripped open my cell, an opening in the universe that lead me here! When I got out I swore I would switch places with you and send you back there in my place!" She explained angrily.

I looked to Heart, and we both seemed to know. When we hopped back in forth there must have been a tear created elsewhere. This had allowed for LuCretia to escape and find us now.

"How were you going to send me there anyway?" Heart asked suspiciously.

LuCretia held out the device Dragonus had given her to send her to limbo nearly two years ago. Everyone within the shield gathered tightly around Heart defensively. Yet I was outside of the main shield and she turned the device towards me.

"I'll just send him there instead I guess," she laughed, preparing to activate it.

Just as she went to turn it on Heart broke through the shield she had made and tackled LuCretia to the ground, knocking the device out of her hand. Heart soon had her pinned, energy sparking around her again. LuCretia reached for the device, barely grasping it as she activated it and held it up to Heart. Heart gripped her shoulders and looked to us as we tried to reach her.

"Stay back! I'll find a way back to everyone!" She yelled as she started to fade in and out with LuCretia, who could not get away from Heart's grip.

"Heart!" I called out to her.

Heart smiled at me bravely, tears in her eyes, as she focused her strength on keeping LuCretia from getting away. Then before any of us could move they were both gone in a flash of light.

"Heart!" I called out, dropping to my knees where she was, as though I were trying to pull her back. Yet her hand faded from my grasp before I could do anything. It had happened in mere moments.

I tried to reach her on our comms, but there was no use. It was as though she didn't exist.

"What do we do?!" Nosedive questioned.

"I don't know, she's been pulled into limbo. Even Canard couldn't get out of there," Wildwing said in despair.

"Canard didn't know how to hop through realms like Heart could, maybe she can create a way out for herself," Tanya tried to offer some hope in her shaking words.

"Can the star sword help?" Mallory asked.

"The star sword may have been how this all happened in the first place," I mentioned in frustration, "When we brought Heart to and from her home realm a few weeks ago we probably created that tear."

"So all we can do is wait? That could take forever!" Nosedive yelled, anger boiling to the surface.

"No, Heart is gaining control of her powers, she may be able to escape," Grin pointed out firmly, "If she stays connected to each of us she will find a way back."

"Duke, it might be a good idea to have the star sword ready just in case though," Wildwing suggested as calmly as he could.

I nodded in response, trying to keep my composure as well.

Heart:

We were both dumped into a cell through the portal LuCretia had created. Electric bars held us both in our shared prison. I quickly got to my feet and tried to look over the lock. It wasn't anything like I had seen before in any realm. My usual tools gifted to me wouldn't be much help this time. I then turned on my heel, glaring at her as I did.

"So you got what you wanted?" I questioned her, "You have me trapped here! But you didn't quite escape now did you?!"

LucCretia smirked, "Well at least I have you here, my plan was originally to send you one by one, but you alone will do I suppose."

I had already figured, "That's why I didn't let go. You realize I could have jumped back in time, but if I did you would have gone through with your plan."

Just then my ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching. Two sets it seemed, were coming closer. I looked as a door of pure energy opened down the hall and a large robot marched inside, followed by a figure behind him. The robot was just like our friend B.R.A.W.N. back home.

"B.R.A.W.N.!" I called to him, hoping he wouldn't just march by.

To my surprise and relief he paused in front of the cell door and prepared to open it. Could they sense there was an error?

"Come on out my friend," an eerily familiar voice greeted in a friendly tone.

I looked as the figure stepped inside the room as I was allowed out of the cell. Stunned, I looked to our former leader as he stood before me with a smile on his face. He was wearing a new uniform with a badge pinned to his jacket vest.

"Canard!" I exclaimed as I ran to him and his open arms.

"What in the universe are you doing here?" He asked as he gave me a hug, "Did something happen to the others?"

I shook my head as he lead me away from the prison cell hall. I explained what had happened as I followed him. A part of me couldn't believe that after all this time our lost friend was there in front of me. It even looked as though he were doing rather well for himself in spite of things.

"So what are you doing patroling with the B.R.A.W.N.s?" I asked.

"When I got trapped here they quickly found out that I wasn't a prisoner. They saw I was a war hero and offered me a job to help keep in the criminals trapped here. They also gave me a small dimensional gate device so I could go home to Puck World to help with the rebuild of our home. I would have gone to get everyone, but I had no idea where all of you ended up," he explained.

"We wound up in a dimension of it's own, on a planet called Earth. We live there as crime fighters, and they're all sports heroes there as well," I said thinking of the two years that had passed since we had lost him.

I then shared our stories with our old friend. How Wildwing had taken on the role as our team captain, how Nosedive and I had grown up, of Duke and I, though he seemed to have an idea due to an encounter he had had with Duke while recruiting him. I also told him about finding out about my past and where I was from.

"That's alot for only two years," he commented.

I nodded in agreement, but smiled none the less.

"I need to go home Canard," I told him.

Canard nodded, "I think I can assist with that, but you have to know exactly where you're going to set the coordinates. There are several universes out there, so you have to be careful in setting it just right."

"Does this place keep a record of portals opened recently?"

"It does!"

Canard lead me to a control room where many gadgets and devices were stored. He found something among the shelves and handed it to me. A small remote with an opening and button to it.

"Let's see," Canard said as he looked over a large computer monitor in the room.

"Got it," he smiled as he found the data from the portal I had just come through.

"So I can go home?" I asked hopefully.

Canard nodded as he took the device from my hand and set the coordinates, "That should do it."

"Canard, come with us, come see everyone! Rejoin our fight against Dragonus!" I told him eagerly.

"I would, but my mission is here now. I have to keep the ancient saurians and other enemies of the universe in here to keep others safe, and I have to help take care of Puck World now," he told me, shaking his head.

"Canard everyone, especially Wildwing, misses you," I said to him, trying to understand.

Then I smiled, "But we will at least know that you are okay after all this time. I understand your mission is here, but perhaps you can visit from time to time?" I suggested.

"Perhaps, now that I know where to find you," he smiled as he added the coordinate in the device on his wrist.

"Now let's get you home to the others," he said as he showed me what to do, attaching the device to my wrist.

Yet just as I was about to open the portal to home I heard footsteps approaching quickly from behind. I turned around just as a blaster was held up and shot, seering into my left shoulder. We looked to find LuCretia holding up her weapon, glairing at us.

"You thought you could get away that easily?" She asked, taunting me now as I gripped my shoulder, "Thought I would let you slip away and have me stuck here again?"

It was then that I noticed something about her shadow. How it shifted and loomed behind her. I stepped forward, unknowingly stepping between Canard and her now.

"Heart, get home! Now!" Canard ordered.

"I can't just leave things like this!" I glared at LuCretia and the shadow taking form behind her, "That's how you did it! You made a deal with that thing!"

"Very perceptive!" She laughed, "Yes, when you created that tear in the universe he slipped in and found me. We made a pact; he would help me escape and switch places, and you would be his to take. Sounded like a fair trade to me."

"You have no idea what you've messed with! Not only did you come to threaten my friends again, envoking my wrath, but you've made a deal with something you had no clue how to control! That thing will take what it wants, deal or not!"

How did I know this?

"Well I at least got you here, so it can do what it wants with you!" She said, "That'll bring me satisfaction at the very least."

Yet as she spoke I noticed her shadow growing thinner as it reached out towards me. A clawed hand extending unnaturally and she fell to the floor without a shadow left. Energy began sparking around me again instinctively.

"You weren't kidding!" Canard exclaimed.

The shadowy figure took a more solid form, standing with an eerie grin as it leered at me.

"I will follow you no matter where you go child! That magic of yours will be mine, and so will you!" It laughed in a wispy voice.

"No she won't!" Canard snapped behind me as he pulled an alarm nearby.

Before we knew it a small army of B.R.A.W.N.s marched into the room and surrounded the creature with missles aimed at it. Yet it only laughed in response.

"Now!" Canard ordered quickly as they opened fire at it.

As smoke filled the room Canard grabbed my wrist and activated the portal, "It's time to go!"

With that Canard pulled me along, being careful to not aggrivate my injury further as we traveled through.

Duke:

We all looked up as a portal ripped through our main room again. My heart leapt to my throat, hoping against hope.

"Heart!" I cried as I saw her stepping through.

"Guys!" She called out to us.

Yet fear remained in her eyes as she turned back for a moment, "Come with me! Please don't go back to face that thing! Stay with us to fight back!"

We then looked, shock spreading through us as we all saw him. Our former leader stood behind Heart, helping her through. It finally registered to me that she was hurt. I hurried over to her, gently reaching my hand out to her to pull her carefully through and back to us. She gripped my hand.

"Canard! You're alive! You're free?!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"Hey guys, I'm afraid I have to stay back once again, but I will not stay away this time. I know where to find you now. So this isn't good-bye for good this time, but I have to hold this thing back to make sure he doesn't break through. But I am proud of all that you've accomplished as a team. Stay together as you have up until now! I know there's a lot to talk about, so I promise to come back when things have calmed down. Duke! Keep her safe as you always have!" Canard told us before gently pushing Heart forward into my arms.

"Cut the portal off!" Canard ordered.

I noticed as Heart reluctantly nodded and pressed a button on the new device on her wrist. Then the portal was closed and we watched our friend fade away again. We all had so many questions, yet they would go unanswered for now. We then turned out attention to help Heart with her injury for now.

As Tanya tended to her wounds Heart explained what all had happened. How Canard had ended up as part of the universal patrol, LuCretia's plan, and Shadow trying to break through. All we could do was hope our former leader could hold Shadow back for now and keep him from escaping to this realm.

I looked to our leader as he abosrbed everything with us.

"Wildwing, I'm sorry, he was going to come here with me for at least a little while, but that awful thing keeps following me no matter where I go!" Heart said, anger growing in her voice.

"It's not your fault Heart," Wildwing assured her, "At least we know Canard's alive and hopefully well. He will keep that thing out of this universe. And for now we'll take care of one another as we always have. For now that's enough."

Heart looked to each of us, fear still lingering in her eyes. Her body trembling as she took in everything.

"Heart..." I said gently as I approached her and wrapped my arms around her, "Heart listen ta me sweetheart. We will get through this. We will help you bond with the magic you have been gifted. Just rest and recover for now."

"Guys...I don't know what to do," Heart admitted to us.

"Trust in us, as you always have," Grin insisted in a kind tone.

"We will get through this girly-girl, just rest up for now," Nosedive assured patting her head carefully.

"We will take on anything together, no matter what it takes," Wildwing repeated once again.

Heart finally gave in and held onto me tighter for now.

"Trust us sweetheart, trust our bond that we have forged over the last two years. That will give ya the strength ya need, that we need, ta get through anythin' that comes our way," I promised her as I held her close.

"Thanks guys," she said quietly, "and I do..."


End file.
